Fishing tool



H. S. GORE FISHING TOOL March 26, 1929,

Filed July 1l, 1927 Patented Mar. 26, 1929.

uuriED STATES igi' '1,082

PAiEni" OFFICE.

HARRY S. GORE, OF MIDWEST, WYOMING; CArIHERiNE GORE ADMINISTRATRIX OF i SAID HARRY S. GDR/lil, DECEASED.

nrs-nine roet.

Application filed July 11,

Tie pr sent invention pertains to fishing tools and it is primarily sought to provide a simple rugged tool of this character which may be used for reniovinge,` broken sucker rods from well casings.

Although `primarily intended tor the use mentioned, it is contemplated that the invention may be embodied in numerous :forms to adapt it to other analogous uses. Among these may be mentioned the recovery oi drill bits, wii'e line, rope sockets and other accessories used in well drilling.

The invention is in the from of a iishing tool of the ball or ball bearing type in which an annular series of metal balls located within the body of the tool is adapted to cooperate with the surrounding parts so as to readily and iirinly grip the sucker rod or other object being recovered when the object once enters the tool and the latter is raised in the well. Y

Heretoiore in this type oi tool considerable ditiiculty has been encountered because the heavy parailin and mud which is present in the well gets between the balls and into their runways thereby clogging these spaces and preventing the balls from functioning properly to grip the object. It isan iniportant object of this invention to reduce to a minimum the likelihood oi the ballsv :failing to function properly diie to the causes just mentioned. Y

A further object is the provision of means ior positively urging the balls into iirin engagement with the object at all times, these means being of such character that there is practically no chance of mud or paraffin interfering with their proper operation. y

Further objects aie the furnishing of a grappling or fishing tool which operates inuch more ei'fectively than lother types and which, due to the nature of its construction, has a much longer life and is considerably less expensive to manufacture; also a tool in which replacements are quite inexpensive With these and such other objects iu view as will appear from the following detailed description, reference is had to the accompanying drawings iii which there is shown a practical embodiment of the invention.

Figure 1 represents a vertical longitudinal section oi the tool taken centrally thereof, the parts of the tool being shown in the positions which they assume as a section of a 19er. serial NQ. 204.306;

sucker rod or the like is about to enter the tool;

Fig 2, a front elevational view, the parts being'brolren away to show the interior con struction and arrangement aiiter the sucker rod -section has entered the tool and the latter is being raised to remove the sucker rod section from the well;

Figa El,.a fragmentary vertical sectional view, similar to Fig. l., showing the details oi the lower end ot the body oi' the tool iiicluding the ledge on which the balls are supported; and i Fig. el, a iroiit elevational view, partly in sect1' n, showing the details of the combined spriiigshoe and ball retainer ring.

In the drawings, there is shown. at l a tubular metal member which comprises the body oi' the tool. The wall oi the body portion l is thickened near its lower end so as to iorin a restricted opening 2 therethrough. lhis opening 2 is adapted to receive the upper end of the sucker rod section 3 and made.siiiiiciently large so as to readily pernnt entrance oi' sucker rod 3 or any' other objectwhich it sought to recover. In or der to guido the body portion l of the tool over `the sucker rod 3 and cause the latter to enter the opening 2, the body portion l is provided on itslower end with the usual tapered surface 41.-. The wall of the upper portion ot the body l is of uniform thiol@ ness., but near its lower end, above opening 2, it is thickened so as to provide a downwardly and inwardly tapered surface or contracted portion 5 which merges into an annular ledge 6 on which rests an annular series of balls 7. It is to be noted that ledge 6 is somewhat concave in cross section so as to hold the balls 7 thereon and prevent them from falling through the opening 2. Ledge (i and opening 2 are so arranged and )i'opoit.ionecl, and balls 7 are of such size, that, as shown in Fig. 1, the balls project slightly beyond the inner periphery of the ledge. This places the balls 7 in such position that when sucker rod section 3 enters the tool through opening 2 the balls are engaged by Jthe sucker rod, or other object which is of a diameter greater than the distance between diainetrically opposite balls 7 of the series, and caused to move oilE of ledge 6 and roll up the inclined surface 5. Since surface 5 `tapers upwardly and outwardly, as balls 7 roll up this surface the distance between diametrically opposite balls will gradually increase, thereby permitting passage of sucker rod section 3 through the annulai` series of 'balls to the position shown in Fig. 2.

lith the parts in this position it will be impossible to withdraw the tool from the sucker rod 3 by pulling it upward, since any upward movement of the tool will only cause the balls 7 to tend. to roll down the inclined surface and bind more tightly i on the periphery of the sucker rod.

The upper end of body portion 1 is threaded interioily to receive an eXteriorly threaded connector S, the latter being piovided with a flange 9 adapted to abut against the upper end of body portion 1.

Connector 8 is provided with a central depending tubular portion 10, of smaller diameter than ythe bodyvportion of the convnector and of a length so that itexteiids al-v most down to the annular seiies ofv balls 7 Tubular portion 10 is open at its lower end portion of the connector.

end of a suitable handling means 13, wherebythe tool may be raised and lowered in the well.

The lower extremity of the tubular )ortion 10 of connectorS is cliamfered or lieveled slightly downwardly and outwardlyat its inner periphery 14 so as to facilitate the lentrance of sucker rod 3 into the tubular portion 10. On the exterior thereof, at its lower end, depending portion 10 of connector 8 is cliamfered or beveled so :is to provide a downwardly and inwardly inclined portion 15, which, when the parts are assembled, has its surface in substantial parallelisinwitlithe surface of the inclined portion 5 or the body lof the tool. In addition, the parts are'so arranged and proportioned that the space between inclined poi'- tions 5 and 15 is sufficient to just permit the free passage or movement of the annular series of balls as they rollup and down the inclined surface'in the operation of the device. Vith thisarrangement of parts it will be seen that maximum provision is made to prevent access of heavy paraffin and mud into the series of balls 7 and the runways or spaces in which they operate.

In order to prevent theaccidental displacement of balls 7 from their ledge 6 and l to'lassure their firm engagement with the sucker rod 8, at all times7 there is provided a ball retainer ring or spring shoe 16 which fits in the annular space or chamber 17 between tlie body portion l of the tool and the. tubular extension 1() of connector 8, so that it may freely slide therein on the lower end of extension 10. The details of n'ieniber lt are elearly shown in Fig. 4. The diameter of the opening 18 through this member 1t is uniform throughout its length. 'llie outside diameter of the member, however, is uniform at the upper portion of the inember, but the member at its lower end is tapered downwardly aiid inwardly so as to provide an inclined 'surface adapted to engage and coact with the correspon(lingly inclined surface 5 of the body portion l of the tool.

Disposed in annular chamber 17 between member 16 and a shoulder 20 formed near the upper end of extension 10 of connector 8, is a coil spring 21. Spring 21, beinggr under tension, serves at all times to force ring member 16 downwardly into engagement with the annular series of balls 7. 'lbis not only serves to maintain the balls on their ledge 6 when the device is not in use. but as shown in Fig. 2, when an object is being retrieved. spring 21, through member I6. tends to force balls 7 down inclined surface 5 and canse them to contract about and rinly grip the object. Thus when the tool is raised by means of member 13, after the object has once passed into the tool, it is impossible for the tool to be pulled ott of the upper end of the object and thus it may be raised out of the well.

The object having been recovered from the well the tool may be removed therefrom by unsci'ewing handling means 13 and connector 8 and removing spring 21, ring 16 and balls 7 from the tool.

What I Aclaim is .1. The combination in a fishing tool of a tubular body portion having an opening at its lower end, said body portion being )rovided internally with a ledge surroun ing said opening; an annular series of balls disposed on the ledge and projecting in line with said opening, said ledge being shaped to normally retain the balls thereon; and yieldable means tending to maintain said balls on the ledge, the body portion of the tool being provided internally with an upwardly and outwardly inclined surface merging into said ledge.

2. The combination in a fishing tool of a tubular body portion having a central opening at its lower end and open at its upper end; a connector mounted removably in the upper open end of said body portion and having a centra-l tubular depending portion extending into the body portion so as to form an annular chamber therebetween, the body portion being formed internally with an annular ledge surrounding said opening in its lower end; an annular series lll) of balls disposed on said ledge, the body portion being tapered upwardly and outwardly adjacent said ledge to permit expansion and contraction oit the annular series o' balls in their movements; a ring slidably mounted in said annular chamber and hav-` ing its lower end bearing on said series of balls; and spring means located in said annular chamber above the ring member and urging the ring meinbe downwardly against said balls.

3. In a `ishing tool; the combination ot a tubular body portion having an opening in the lower end thereof adapted to receive an object to be retrieved; said body portion also being open at its upper end; a removable connector mounted in the upper end of the body portion and having a tubular exten sion extending downwardly into the body portion, the lower extremity of said entension being chamfered on its inner periphery to facilitate the entrance ot' an object; an annular series of balls disposed on an an nular ledge formed interiorly of the body portion of the tool about the opening in the lower end thereof; and yieldable means tending to maintain the series oi balls on said ledge, the body portion being inclined upwardly and outwardly on its interior iinmcdiat'ely adjoining said ledge.

4f. A lishing tool comprising a tubular body portiointhe upper end ot which is open and the lower end otwhich is provided with a central contracted opening to receive an object to be retrieved; a connector removably mounted in the upper end of the body portion; the body portion being provided interiorly with an annular ledgesurrounding said opening in its lower end and an upwardly and outwardly inclined portion adjoining` said ledge; an annular series of balls disposed on said ledge and projecting in line with said opening; and yieldable means tending to maintain the balls on their ledge, said connector being provided with a central depending portion, the lower end of which is tapered upwardly and outwardly and. extends into close proximity to the annular series ot balls, there being only sutlicient space between said inclined surfaces on the body portion and said extension to permit :lree movement o' the series ot balls.

5. A fishing tool, comprising .in combina tion, a tubular body portion having a central opening in its lower end and said end provided exteriorly with an inclined sur face adapted to guide an object to be retrieved intosaid opening, the body portion also being open at its upper end; a connector removably mounted in the upper end of the body portion andhaving a central depend ing extension projecting downwardly into said body portion7 there being fluid passages connecting the interior of the body portion with the outside ot the tool above the body portion through said extension; a ring slidably mounted between the body portion and said connector extension, the body portion being provided. inieriorly with an annular ledge and an adjoining upwardly and outwardly inclined portion surrounding the opening' in the lower end thereof; an an nular series of balls disposed on said ledge` and projecting in line with said opening; and a coil spring disposed in said body portion between the connector and the ring to urge the ring downwardly against the series oi balls, said connector extension being externally beveled downwardly and inwardly on its lower end so as to coact with said inclined surface on the body portion to provide a runway for the annular series of balls. L

ln testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

HARRY S. GORE. 

